Recently recognized as the #1 city in the US for college students and graduates by Forbes Magazine, as well as awarded the 2024 Best US Food Destination by TripAdvisor, New Orleans (NOLA) offers a welcoming multicultural environment. Here, international students, especially those from Southeast Asia, China, the Caribbean, and Latin America, can find an academic home and community that shares and celebrates their backgrounds.
Situated on the banks of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, New Orleans served as a major port that connected the US to the rest of the world, which aided in it becoming the melting pot of cultures it is today. Read on to find out more about NOLA’s diverse neighborhoods, culturally rich events, and authentic food from around the globe.
New Orleans’ International Neighborhoods & Enclaves
New Orleans is an eclectic and lively city shaped by centuries of influences from Caribbean, Vietnamese, Latinx, African, French, and Spanish cultures, which is evident in its architecture, festivals, music, food, and community life. International students will find reminders of home among the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
Where to Find Southeast Asian Culture in New Orleans
NOLA boasts a large Southeast Asian population, with people from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand calling this Southern US city home. International students can find familiar restaurants, shops, and markets peppered throughout the city, but the neighborhood of Village de l’est in New Orleans East offers a sense of community.
Referred to as Versailles, or Little Vietnam, Village de l’est neighborhood has been home to the highest number of Vietnamese people in the city since 1975, when many came to escape the Vietnam War. International students will find a sense of home among the many eateries, shops, markets, and community centers in the area. The Mary Queen of Vietnam Church was the first Vietnamese parish in the country and hosts the Tet Festival: Vietnamese Lunar New Year each year.
Southeast Asian Restaurants in New Orleans
Lilly’s Café
Southeast Asian Markets in New Orleans
Minh Canh Market
Viet My Supermarket
Where to Find Chinese Culture in New Orleans
For more than a century, Chinese immigrants have made significant contributions to New Orleans’ cultural fabric. While the community is relatively small compared to other US cities, its presence is deeply felt, and can be found in restaurants, shops, markets, and cultural centers throughout the city. The Chinese Presbyterian Church in Kenner is a cultural hub and has been serving the community for more than 100 years.
Chinese Restaurants in New Orleans
Chinese Markets in New Orleans
Golden City Asian Food Market
Hong Kong Food Market
Where to Find Caribbean Culture in New Orleans
With many of its residents tracing their roots to Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, New Orleans has long been a melting pot of Caribbean culture. NOLA’s music, food, art, and architecture have been heavily influenced by Caribbean transplants, and international students won’t have to look too hard to find a little bit of home.
Located next to the French Quarter, Treme is the first historically black neighborhood in the US and is home to jazz clubs, restaurants, shops, cultural sites, and museums that showcase African-American and Creole cultures. St. Peter Claver Catholic Church provides a place for those who wish to worship, as well as hosts community events.
With classic Creole cottages and colorful shotgun houses, the vibrant Bywater district is a lively and artsy area where international students may feel right at home.
Caribbean Restaurants in New Orleans
Coco Hut Caribbean Restaurant
Fritai (Hattian)
Queen Trini Lisa (Trinbagonian Island Soul Food)
Caribbean Markets in New Orleans
Where to Find Latinx Culture in New Orleans
New Orleans’ Latinx community, with roots in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Central America, has a significant influence on the city’s culture. International students will find both a sense of community and celebration of their culture through vibrant festivals, culinary traditions, cultural sites, and authentic goods. International students can also feel at home by learning about the history of the city.
One of New Orleans’ most famous neighborhoods, the French Quarter, has a rich history of Spanish influence, which can be seen in its architecture, particularly the Cabildo in Jackson Square. Meanwhile, St. Bernard Parish, originally settled in 1778 by Spanish colonists (known as Isleños), invites people to learn more about its culture, history, and customs at the Islenos at Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society.
Latinx Restaurants in New Orleans
Latinx Markets in New Orleans
El Catracho
Variedades Ceibeña Latin Market (Metairie)
New Orleans’ International Events and Festivals
New Orleans is known to “laissez les bon temps” (let the good times roll), which is showcased by its variety of cultural festival and events that take place throughout the year. You likely have heard of the extremely popular Mardi Gras, but there are many other celebrations in the city.
Bayou Bacchanal, the original Caribbean Carnival of New Orleans
Chinese New Year
Tet Festival: Vietnamese Lunar New Year
New Orleans International Community Centers
Feel at Home Without Leaving Campus
With the motto, “non sibi sed suis” (“not for one’s self, but for one’s own”), Tulane University believes in “improv[ing] the lives of others in our own community and around the globe”. Located in Uptown New Orleans, the university’s picturesque campus is just a short streetcar ride along St. Charles Street from downtown, making it an ideal spot to explore NOLA’s diverse neighborhoods. There are, however, plenty of ways to find community right on campus.
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More than 1,300 international students from over 86 different countries call Tulane home, and the university ensures each student feels welcome. The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) hosts specific orientations tailored to international students needs to set them up for success from day one. The OISS also hosts events at the Global Cafe, which is “a gathering place for internationally-minded Tulanians to build friendships and global understanding by actively engaging and learning from one another.”
To find a community of on-campus peers, international students can join one of Tulane’s more than 200 student clubs and organizations, including the Asian American Student Union, Chinese Students & Scholars Association, Multicultural Council, Vietnamese Association, and many more.
Finding a Home Away from Home
New Orleans is a place where global cultures blend and create a unique, welcoming environment for all. Whether international students are looking for authentic food, cultural events, or community, NOLA will make them feel at home no matter where they come from.
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